The government has changed, but welfare schemes and pauperising scams continue to complement each other in Uttar Pradesh.

In its poll manifesto, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) had pledged to put unemployed graduates aged between 35 and 40 on the dole.

Soon after taking over the reins on March 15, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav decided to implement the scheme entitling the targeted jobless segment to Rs 1,000 every month.

While about 1.50 lakh youth had registered themselves with the state's employment offices in the last four decades, the number shot up to nearly 18 lakh on March 15 in anticipation of the SP delivering on its promise. The figure further swelled to 25 lakh over the next three days as jobless graduates made a beeline for various district employment offices in the state.

But scamsters - with the alleged connivance of government officials - beat them to it.

Registration forms, which were available for an over-the-counter price of Rs 8 till now, disappeared overnight from employment exchanges in several districts. They were, however, being sold clandestinely bang outside these offices for anything between Rs 25 and Rs 75.

Another prerequisite for seeking unemployment allowance is the submission of four postcards with the form. These, too, were being sold on the black market at Rs 20 apiece instead of the original price of Rs 2.

Aditi Singh, a dole aspirant from Barabanki, said she was left with no option but to buy a form and four postcards from a black-marketeer. "A tout sold them (form and postcards) to me for Rs 120 and also provided assistance in filling up the application. Shelling out the extra amount pinched," an exasperated Aditi said.

Another applicant, Ramesh Sharma, spelt out the problem succinctly: "We cannot do anything without using unfair means. The employment office claims to have sold out all its forms, and postcards are not available at post-offices. So, we are left with no option but to purchase them from fleecing middlemen on the prowl outside the exchanges."

The rip-off came to light at the Barabanki district employment office on Saturday when the official behind the counter declared that he had run out of forms. The local post-office had exhausted its stock of postcards as well.

But at least half-a-dozen touts were spotted selling the forms and postcards in the vicinity for a package deal of anything between Rs 105 and Rs 155. For his part, district employment officer Ram Shanker feigned ignorance about the brazen black-marketing.

He explained the sudden shortage thus: "In the last two months, the number of applicants has risen sharply. Throughout the day, there is a serpentine queue of jobless graduates. This is why we do not have any forms. As regards touts, I have no idea what is happening outside the office."

Quite evidently, Barabanki's chief development officer (CDO) Kinjal Singh was more alert than her subordinates. "I have ordered a probe and every step will be taken to ensure a fair deal for dole-seekers," she said.

Ironically, it was only on Friday that Akhilesh had promised to end the "scam era" in Uttar Pradesh.

He had declared: "If Mayawati can spend several thousand crores on statues and stone structures, why can't we give unemployment allowance to jobless youth?"

When asked if such schemes would initiate another series of scams, he had confidently replied: "We have seen enough of it in the past. There will not be any kind of corruption in my government."

His claims ring hollow in the wake of reports that the racket is flourishing in other districts such as Allahabad and Varanasi also.